The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has reported that the agency has printed over 50 million physical and digital versions of the Philippine Identification (PhilID).
PSA Undersecretary Dennis S. Mapa said that out of 50,262,059, about 30,558,332 were PhilIDs - of which, 23,256,884 are delivered as of Jan. 31, 2023, while 19,703,727 ePhilIDs were issued to registered persons as of Feb. 2, 2023.
"The PSA, together with its field offices and partner agencies, implemented strategies to provide more Filipinos with the national ID to enable immediate utilization of PhilSys benefits. This landmark milestone is a testament that our initiatives are effective,” Mapa said.
For the issuance of PhilIDs, Mapa said the PSA continues to work with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for fast-tracked printing and production, and the Philippine Postal Corp. (Post Office) for swift delivery.
As part of the proactive efforts of the PSA to allow registered persons to immediately enjoy the benefits of being PhilSys-registered, the agency introduced the ePhilID, which can be claimed at PhilSys registration centers, or issued through plaza-type and house-to-house distribution.
The PSA also piloted the implementation of the downloadable ePhilID, which allows registered persons to download a PDF copy of their ePhilID on their mobile devices. As of Feb. 2, 2023, 440,784 ePhilIDs were downloaded.
With the same functionality and validity, both the PhilID and ePhilID are designed to streamline service delivery for easier accessibility and application for social welfare programs and employment opportunities, unlocking access to basic social services and promoting greater financial inclusion.
“The PhilID and ePhilID are now being used by Filipinos as valid proof of identity to claim remittances, open bank accounts, apply for employment, and receive social and welfare benefits,” Mapa added.
Registered persons can also be assured that they are protected from identity theft and counterfeiting with the QR code of the PhilID and ePhilID as a security feature.
It can be scanned using PhilSys Check website, an identity authentication tool that cross-checks the data stored in the QR code against the data printed on the PhilID or ePhilID.
“We will continue turning our strategies into actions that will speed up national ID issuance and scale up PhilSys-enabled services,” Mapa said. “We assure that all registered persons will receive a PhilID printed by the BSP, even if they claim or download their ePhilIDs.”